Most of us have been attracted to a product by its packaging at one time or another. After all, the entire point of well-designed packaging is to capture our attention and appeal to our senses. Packaging, in this respect, is a key component of any individual's purchasing decision-making process.

If you are even the tiniest bit familiar with CBD products, you will likely have noticed that most brands want their offering to look fresh, contemporary and trendy. The problem, however, is that there are new CBD brands entering the marketplace every single day and if they all opt for a similar aesthetic, it isn't going to be long before this look becomes tired and hackneyed.

So just how do you set yourself apart in this competitive marketplace when it comes to packaging. 

The Anatomy of Well-Designed CBD Packaging

Although the CBD market is still fairly new, it is an extraordinarily competitive space where brands need to do everything possible to stand out for the right reasons. Many brands fall into the trap of focussing all their attention on creating a wide range of products that will appeal to a wide audience. 

In a market that’s as rapidly evolving as CBD, that may be the quickest way to fail. Here are some tips that can help you design packaging that’ll grab the attention of the right people.

First, Be Transparent

CBD consumers aren’t your average group. They’re curious and willing to try, but are naturally wary given CBD’s long and legally contentious history. That means these are people who would make it a point to carefully scour the box for health facts before heading to the counter. In the UK, hard requirements for labelling CBD products already include dosing and an ingredients breakdown.

You can take transparency a step further by including QR codes–which pique attention in their own way–to any certifications and lab test results for your product. A Novel Foods certification is another boon that you can use to make your packaging stand out. As only a handful have passed through the FSA’s notoriously difficult and selective process, a label letting consumers know you’re certified helps set your product apart.

Design By Audience Segment

CBD is an incredibly versatile cannabinoid. Some use it for pain relief, while others drop it into their coffee to counteract caffeine jitters. A majority take CBD in food or capsule form, but you wouldn’t have to venture far to find someone who swears by vaping.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that cannabidiol’s consumer profile is as diverse as the compound. Users skew young and female, but there’s also a growing cohort of middle-aged and elderly individuals who are turning to CBD to relieve discomfort from arthritis and sleep issues.

Who your target audience is will heavily influence the aesthetic of your packaging. For instance, products that target seniors–many of whom may have vision problems–prioritise larger fonts over loud, busy visuals. Younger consumers, meanwhile, gravitate towards bold patterns or metallic colours. 

Of course, these findings are only general starting points. It would be prudent to do research and testing to find what truly connects with your audience.

Mind The Leaf

The green cannabis leaf has become synonymous with hemp and CBD. It appears everywhere, which also means people are bound to get tired of it as the market becomes saturated. 

But that doesn’t mean you need to toss out the whole plant with the leaf. Brands can keep users from glazing over their packaging by adding their own unique twist to the popular CBD icon. For instance, take Naturecan’s geometric approach, or Euphoria’s ingenious packaging cutout that gives people a visual taste of what’s inside. 

Beyond The Box

Aside from the design of the bottle, pouch, or tub that holds the product, brands will also want to look at how these items are delivered to customers. Some brands, especially those who sell products in sets, pack items in matching mailer boxes. After all, who doesn’t get a little thrill when opening parcels?

The material of your packaging will also make a statement about your brand. The Venn diagram between eco-conscious customers and CBD users is probably not a perfect circle. But CBD and the larger cannabis industry is one that’s rooted in the “natural” and “organic” movement, and many enthusiasts will gravitate towards products in eco-friendly packaging. 

Brands Getting it Right

There are hundreds–if not thousands–of CBD brands in the UK alone. Distilling what’s good from what isn’t can seem overwhelming, so we’ve picked a handful of brands that have different packaging elements, from the brand tone to the aesthetic.

TRIP: Hip and Minimalist Designs

Offering both CBD oils and CBD infused drinks, Trip is a brand that aims to appeal to a young, aesthetic-driven audience and is doing so very well. Its minimal, streamlined bottle design comes in fun pastel hues. The brand's product imagery highlights the Instagrammable nature of this type of contemporary design.

Check out our TRIP CBD collection here.

Nooro: Simple and Snacky

Nooro, a brand selling CBD snack bars, is a good example of how to market CBD-infused food without going over the top. Ingredients and flavours are placed front and centre amidst a simple background, similar to the approach of trendy health bars.

Check out our Wholesale Nooro CBD oat bars here.

Endoca: Modern and Medical

Endoca is a wellness brand that carries a diverse line of health-related CBD products, from suppositories to capsules and salves. The brand’s subtle and minimalist packaging gives it a serious vibe that makes products look trustworthy and professional.

Check out Endoca’s products here.

Honey Heaven: Putting the Product Front and Centre

Beyond the trendiness that lends itself naturally to CBD, brands can also look into the strengths of the type of product they’re selling to design their packaging. For instance, take Honey Heaven’s line of CBD loose leaf herbal tea. The star of the packaging isn’t a large cannabis leaf, rather the actual tea leaves, which can be seen through a clear window.

Check out Honey Heaven’s herbal tea here.

Pachamama: Eclectic and Eye-Catching

Single origin, superfood, power plant-infused–these are just some of the terms you can find if you comb through Pachamama’s site. The same green, hip, and holistic voice is evident in how they design their CBD products, which range from vaping liquids to pain creams.

Check out Pachamama’s diverse CBD product line here.

Little Rick: Cool and Colourful

Refreshing is one characteristic that comes to the fore when you look at Little Rick’s line of sparkling CBD drinks. The brand’s choice of bright colours and visually appealing artwork isn’t just a treat for the eyes, it’s also the perfect representation of what awaits inside each can–a relaxing beverage. 

Check out Little Rick’s CBD-infused drinks here.

Packaging is Everything

Packaging makes an indelible impact on first impressions. And in the world’s second largest CBD market, it can be the deciding factor that gets your product picked out amidst hundreds of others on the shelf.